"Shua Hyung, did you know that you have a really pretty smile? Your eyes always sparkle as if they hold the entire galaxy within." Mingyu said looking at the latter lovingly.
"Well, now I know!" Joshua giggled shyly.
There was a long pause before Mingyu broke the silence.
"Hyung, There is something I wanted to tell you. For quite a long time"
"What is it?"
"Hyung, I.....I like you. No, actually I love you! I loved you ever since I saw you for the first time. I love everything about you. I love how you call my name with your sweet voice, I love how you always give me hugs whenever I'm tired, I love how kind, caring and gentle you are. And moreover I am grateful to you for always being by my side. I want to spend rest of my life with you. I want to treat you right and let you know how important you are to me. I really love you shua."
"What? You loved me ever since then? Do you know how much I've been waiting for this moment? I thought you never liked me the way I did" Joshua seemed very flustered much to Jeonghan's dismay.
He had been there the whole time and he didn't like what he heard a bit. He couldn't hear his joshuji confess to someone else anymore.He doesn't know why his tears are falling.
"Joshua is allowed to be with anyone he wants, right? Then why does it hurts so much? Why does it feel like I lost everything I have?"
The only thing he could do at the moment was to cry, cry all the wants, alone and by himself. He didn't have his best friend to console him this time. Maybe he really was in love with him best friend but it was too late.
Jeonghan had always known that he was different. He had always had feelings for Joshua but had never dared to admit it. He had always been too scared of what Joshua might say or do.
That was until now that he accidentally overheard the conversation between Joshua and Mingyu.
He regrets everything. He regrets not realizing his feelings sooner, he regrets thinking he loved Joshua as a friend even when he knew he wanted somethingmore than friendship.
He hates himself for being a fool.
Jeonghan felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. He had always suspected that there was something going on between Joshua and Mingyu, but he never really thought that they were serious about each other. Now he was heartbroken because he had lost the chance to tell Joshua how he felt.
He cried himself to sleep that day. Promising himself to never get in between Joshua's happiness. Afterall he loved the boy and he wanted him to be happy. That's all that mattered.
But Days turned into weeks and Jeonghan found himself getting more and more depressed. He tried to hide his pain and sadness from everyone but it was hard.
The pain was always there, just below the surface. He would find himself crying when he was alone, thinking about Joshua and how he had lost his chance with him.
~Time skip~
It's currently 7 am. Seventeen is infront of the van ready to leave for the location where they'll be filming ITS.
"You all did the packing properly right? Are we ready to go?" Seungcheol exclaimed excitedly.
"Of course! We are ever so ready. Guys hop in" hoshi said picking his seat first.
The rest of the members followed after him.
"Jeonghan Can I sit next to you?" Joshua asked for his permission.
"No actually it's for seungcheol" Jeonghan said calmly without looking at Joshua.
"Oh It's fine. I'll just sit with mingyu I guess"
Saying that Jisoo wasn't upset at his words would be a lie. Jeonghan was more hurt tho. As much as he'd love to be with, he knew he had to stay away to forget him.
"I'm sorry Joshuji" he whispered to himself noticing that he made him upset.
He was so lost in thoughts that he didn't realise that they have arrived at the filming location.
"We're finally here! Look how beautiful this place is." Dino stretches his body as he admires the view.
They were all in awe. This place is the literal embodiment of the word 'peaceful'
The location was situated in the midst of a dense forest. The air was fresh and cool, and the sounds of the forest filled their ears.
The members were all in awe of the beauty that surrounded them but not Jeonghan, he was busy looking at shua.
"Woah, this place is amazing," said Joshua, as he looked out at the forest around them.
"I can't believe we get to stay here for a whole week," Hoshi stretched out, as he breathed in the fresh air.
"I've always wanted to stay in one of these cabins in the forest," said Seungkwan.
"I'm excited to see what we are going to do here" said Jun.
"I heard the activities are going to be a surprise," Minghao replied.
"Yeah, I'm excited to see what the staff has planned" said Wonwoo.
S.Coups, the leader of the group, stepped forward. "Alright guys, let's go check out the cabins."
They walked down a winding path that led to a clearing. There were four log cabins that were surrounded by trees. Each cabin had a name on it: Dream, Adventure, Fantasy, and Nature.
"I call Adventure!" shouted DK, running towards the cabin.
"I call Dream" said Woozi.
"I want to stay in Nature" said Jeonghan.
"I guess that leaves me with Fantasy," said Mingyu, looking at the last cabin.
The members quickly settled into their rooms. The inside of the cabin were cozy, with wooden walls and a fireplace. The beds were covered with warm blankets and there were even board games and books for entertainment.
"This is so cool, I've never stayed in a log cabin before," said Vernon, as he laid on his bed.
"I know, right? It's like we're in one of those fairy tales," said S.Coups.
"I just hope we have a good time here" said Dino.
"I'm sure we will. This is our time to bond and create memories," said Hoshi.
They all scattered exploring the house. It was perfect for them in every way possible.
As night fell, the members gathered around the bonfire that was lit in the center of the clearing. They cooked marshmallows and hot dogs, and talked about their hopes for the week ahead.
"I hope we get to do some outdoor activities," said Seungkwan.
"Yeah, I heard there's a lake nearby," said Jun.
"I hope we get to swim in it" said The8.
"I hope we get to see some wildlife" said Wonwoo.
"I hope we get to tell ghost stories" said Mingyu.
The members laughed and chatted late into the night. Eventually, they all retired to their cabins, eager to rest up for the adventures that awaited them.
The next morning, the members gathered for breakfast at the dining room. The sun was shining brightly, and the birds were singing. The staff of the show had prepared a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast, which the members eagerly dug into.
After breakfast, the members got ready for their first activity of the day. They gathered in the clearing, where a staff member was waiting for them.
"Good morning guys! Today, we're going to take a hike through the forest," the staff member said.
The members cheered and started to put on their hiking boots. They were excited to explore the beautiful forest that surrounded them.
As they walked, the members talked and joked with each other. They admired the tall trees and the peaceful serenity of the forest.
"This is so beautiful" said Hoshi, as he looked around.
"I feel like I'm in a movie" said Joshua.
"Yeah, we should film our own movie" Vernon said as he put his arms around seungkwan.
As they walked deeper into the forest, they came across a clearing, where a small waterfall was cascading down into a crystal clear pool.
"Woah, this is amazing," said Seungkwan.
"Let's take a dip" said The8, as he took off his shirt and jumped into the water.
The members all followed suit, and soon, they were splashing around in the refreshing water. They laughed and joked with each other, and for a moment, they forgot that they were being filmed for a reality show.
As the day went on, the members continued to explore the forest, and they took part in a range of outdoor activities, including archery, canoeing, and campfire cooking.
As the sun set on the first day, the members gathered around the bonfire once again. They were tired but happy from the day's adventures.
"We are so lucky to be here," said S.Coups. "This is going to be an amazing week."
The members all nodded in agreement, and they went to bed, eager to see what the next day held in store for them.
All of them seemed to be having fun but Jeonghan was tired from pretending to be alright all day, he was struggling to hold his tears back.